ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs announced on Tuesday it would soon invite tenders to ensure the availability of COVID-19 vaccine for local Hajj pilgrims.
The decision was made during a consultative session in Islamabad that was attended by the representatives of National Health Services, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, Expanded Program for Immunization and Polyclinic Hospital.
The meeting focused on issues related to the health and safety of Hajj pilgrims and availability of meningitis vaccine and regular flu shots.
The coronavirus pandemic also came under discussion, as the participants of the gathering tried to identify various vaccine procurement options.
“We are not going to compromise on the health and safety of Pakistani Hajj pilgrims,” said a senior ministry official, Shahid Ahmad Sindhu. “We are also going to consult the National Command and Operations Authority to ensure the availability of the coronavirus vaccine.”
Pakistan has already launched its COVID-19 vaccination campaign after receiving 500,000 doses of China’s Sinopharm vaccine.
The country is also expected to get 17 million doses of AstraZeneca in the coming months under a global scheme for equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccine to developing nations.
Will soon invite tenders to ensure COVID-19 vaccine for Pakistani Hajjis — religion ministry
https://arab.news/6q26u
Will soon invite tenders to ensure COVID-19 vaccine for Pakistani Hajjis — religion ministry
- The religious affairs ministry is expected to invite tenders to ascertain sufficient availability of COVID-19 vaccines
- Ministry officials also want enough meningitis vaccines, regular flu shots for Pakistani Hajj pilgrims
Pakistan army hits Afghan Taliban drone storage facility, ammunition depot in Jalalabad
- Around 435 Afghan Taliban fighters killed, over 630 injured in Pakistani military offensive, minister says
- Several countries, global bodies have urged both sides to exercise restraint since the conflict began last week
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army struck a drone storage facility and ammunition depot of Afghan Taliban in Jalalabad, a Pakistani security official said on Monday, following Pakistani strikes on more than 50 locations in Afghanistan amid ongoing hostilities between the neighbors.
Pakistan launched Operation ‘Ghazb lil Haq’ against Afghanistan on the night of Feb. 26 following an attack by Afghanistan on Pakistani military installations along their shared border.
The worst fighting between the two neighbors in years erupted after Pakistani airstrikes targeted what Islamabad called militant hideouts inside Afghanistan on Feb. 21-22, accusing Kabul of harboring Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants behind the attacks on its soil. Afghanistan denies the charge.
A Pakistani security official, who requested anonymity, said the army was continuing “strong retaliatory action” against the Afghan Taliban and blew up multiple border posts, forcing them to abandon their positions.
“Pakistan forces are effectively targeting the bases and military installations of the Fitna Al-Khawarij and the Afghan Taliban,” he said.
“During the effective counter-operation of the Pakistani forces, the ammunition depot and drone storage site of Fitna Al-Khawarij (TTP) and the Afghan Taliban in Jalalabad was destroyed.”
Separately, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said more than 400 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and over 630 wounded in the Pakistani military offensive so far.
Pakistan destroyed around 188 check posts and captured 31, according to a post on X by Tarar. Over 180 tanks, armored vehicles and artillery guns were also destroyed in Pakistani air raids at 51 locations across Afghanistan.
On Sunday, Pakistani state media shared a video of what it said were Pakistani soldiers crossing into Afghanistan in the northwest to capture an Afghan post. Pakistan has seized a 32-square-kilometer area of Afghanistan, another Pakistani security official said.
Afghan officials earlier said that dozens of Pakistani soldiers had been killed and several Pakistan posts had been captured by their forces. None of the casualty figures or battlefield claims from either side could be independently verified.
Since the conflict began last week, diplomatic efforts have intensified, with several countries and international bodies calling on both sides to exercise restraint.
The United Nations, along with China and Russia, has called for calm, while US President Donald Trump said Pakistan has the right to defend itself against cross-border militancy.
